279- Unexpected Set Backs, Disappointment, Rescued

Well it is 1am and and what a day Friday was.  Today all we had to do was pack up, attend a VBS celebration, sing some songs, pack up and drive to Charlotte.  I was so looking forward to crawling into bed with my husband and really sleeping. As we were packing up at the church after the VBS celebration, Becca came into the school and said, "Beth the shuttle has a flat tire."  I was standing and talking with Kevin a church member, he came out with me to look and sure enough one of the tires was seriously flat.  He then looked around and started walking to a truck.  I looked and it was a pick up truck with "Wheel and Tire" on the side of it, right there in the school parking lot.  The man was there for the VBS program.  He brought a pump out of his truck and tried to ad some air.  It obviously wasn't going to fix it but he got on the phone and told the shop to stay by we were on our way and needed the tire fixed.  He gave me his card and said just drive carefully but you should make it fine.  It is just 20 minutes down the road... (toward Charlotte).  I could not believe it!  A set back for sure but wow..... a tire man in the parking lot...what a huge huge blessing. 

We loaded up and started slowly down the road.  Got on the highway and just a couple miles down the road the shuttle started making a terrible noise, and shacking violently.  Becca looked in the side mirror and she said the tire was smoking terribly.  I was having a hard time controlling the shuttle and knew we had to stop.  There was virtually no shoulder, I thought perhaps I should then just slow down and limp on the shoulder, but the shuttle was arguing with me and begging to stop so I finally did.  Now came the question.  Get off as far as possible or leave room for them to work on the tire if need be.  I decided to leave room.  That meant we were almost exactly on the white line.  Not an inch to spare and we still only had about two feet before the guard rail.  As semi after semi barreled past us I was afraid.  Afraid for the students... afraid for all our safety.  I know you are supposed to get outside of the car, but there was really no place to go.  I called the man and he said he would send someone or come himself.

Again I was so thankful for him.  Then after about 45 minutes he finally found us and after a few minutes decided we would just need to tow.  To make a long story short, Mr. Anderson made about 3 hours worth of phone calls trying to get us help.  I called, and two men came to help and finally at 12:20 it was decided that the shuttle was going to sleep by the road and we will tackle it in the morning. 

Such disappointment.  No climbing into my own bed next to my husband. 

In the process of this night, several different emotions were in place.  First desperate... tire flat.  Second excited... tire man in parking lot.  Third disappointed... tire blows.  Forth fear...in a dangerous situation.   Fifth hopeful.... man coming to rescue us.  Sixth disappointed.... he cant help.  Seventh felt cared for... Rick taking the time to call.  Eighth loved.... my husband kept in contact.  Nineth rescued.... Ernie coming to pick us up.  Tenth rescued....Ernie was going to care for us!  Eleventh hopeful.... second man on his way to fix tire.  Twelve scared... Becca and I all alone in Shuttle.  Thirteenth safe.... Ernie was there.  Fourteenth excited.... the repair man arrives.  Fifteenth disappointed...he couldn't do anything.  Sixteenth safe and rescued and cared for..... Home with Ernie and Gail to sleep in a nice safe cool house.  Seventeenth supported... heard Ernie talking with people about the shuttle as I got out of a hot shower. 

There were three amazing moments.  One when I heard my husbands voice, calm supportive yet confident.  I felt like... "I got this" after hearing him.  He was concerned but not overly so.  He made me feel stronger somehow.  Then when Rick agreed to call and see what he could work out.  I wanted to cry, it was wonderful being cared for!  Then when Ernie came.  We were loading up the students in his van.  I had suggested they take us to the school where we could sleep the night on the floor.  Ernie calm and strong said I'm not taking you there you are coming to my house or a close by hotel.  I'm going to make sure you are taken care of.  We were happy for the floor, but he was over the top kind!  What a blessing.  Then when Ernie came, stayed with us and then brought us home luxury.

As I took a shower just minutes ago, I thought what a beautiful example of our savior.  We are in a mess.  We are sweaty, dirty stinking, covered in (C) and he says, "nope I'm not dropping you off... your coming home with me, I'm not giving you the floor, I have a clean cool bed waiting, and while you rest, I'll work to make sure things are cleaned up."  Can't you just hear God being that way.  Hasn't he been that way with each of us.  He is our rescuer, and he doesn't just make sure we are OK he lavishes us with his love and care. 

We have had a difficult week.  Set back after set back and it is easy to see how Satan is working to bring us down.  But today in all of our disappointment and with all our set backs, I was reminded of how beautiful it is to be rescued!  Really rescued!